Send me email updates about messages I've received
on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.By signing up, you certify that
you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.

What do you think of this?

I was at the pedi yesterday and I saw a women with a toddler and a girl about 7 or 8. The girl was pushing the stroller and was sitting with the stroller in the waiting room. The toddler, antsy in the stroller started to fuss and the mom snapped to the child "Why is she crying". The mom barked orders at the child from getting her receipt and credit card from the receptionist, to taking the toddler out of the stroller and watching her.

I felt bad for the child. I mean, it's not her toddler! The chld obeyed without question. But that jsut seems wrong to me. Shouldn't the mother be the one caring for the toddler not the older sister?

That's sad. I know older kids like to be helpers, but parents need to remember that even though they are helping, it's not their responibility. The mom is setting a bad example of mothering for her oldest.

What was mom doing? Maybe mom is ill and that's why they were at doc's office? I wouldn't assume anything from one brief interaction with a family. I don't usually ask my 9 year old to have that level of doing things for me, but if there was need, he would pitch in like that.

It was a pediatrician -- my office doesn't see adults. So was just sitting there asking about how old my daughter was and making idle chit chat.

My friend's mom was like this and i hated to see it becuase she was resentful of having to act like the mommy and swore she never wanted any kids of her own becuase she had already raised her brothers and sister.

Maybe just me, but I try to ask my duaghter to do things (i knew she's still young, but my mom did it with me and I felt like I was helping rather than being forced to do things.). To each his own, I know. Just curiuos about opinions. It's hard not to judge, and I try not to. But it still happens.

Answer by
Anonymous
at 11:37 AM on Oct. 1, 2009

What she is doing is wrong. The fact that she did it in public pretty much exempts her from not being judged. She obviously doesn't care what others think.